The Picnic
by desdamona
Summary: Between jobs the getbackers decide to get togehter with friends, even some unexpected.
1. Chapter 1

The Picnic - Part one

It was Paul's idea to have a group picnic, he enjoyed these outings and peaceful times that everyone else seemed to take for granted. The main reason behind the picnic was that the Getbackers had not been getting a lot of jobs lately. Paul had thought that this would be a good way for them to get a decent meal without him having to give away freebies and at least this way Ban and Ginji would not think that they could take advantage of him so easily. Paul cared for the boys, even if it did seem like it was their life's mission to run his business into the ground, but he had a subtle was of showing it.  
Paul had actually just planted the idea in Natsumi's head with an idle comment one day at work, and then had left the rest to her. Natsumi seemed to have a natural gift for planning parties and brining people together. Paul often looked back on his hire of her as one of his best business decisions. Sure she was often a sucker for Ginji's puppy eyed looks; sneaking out a free cup of coffee here or there, but she had a natural radiance to her that actually brought customers in, just so that they could see her bright smile. It was not something Paul could offer but he had his own qualities to offer. He seemed to be able to help sooth those who had lost their souls.

Both Ban and Ginji had been lost like that once. He remembered their cold, hard stares. Those stares that had shown Paul that they saw and hoped for nothing. He looked at them now, wrestling with each other near where the group had gathered. He smiled; to think those two boyish brats were once the unseeing shadows of young men who had lost their way.

"HEY!" Natsumi yelled. "Cut that out! You're going to get dirt all over the picnic blanket!."

"Sorry," Ginji squeaked through a pin hold Ban had around his neck.

"Fine," Ban proclaimed, "Clearly I was winning anyways."

"Really, Ban, sometimes all I think you care about is giving yourself an ego boost by proving your better than someone else." Hevn sighed.

"Not a bad idea and look, here comes that monkey boy,…" Ban retorted carelessly.

Before Ban could even finish, Ginji was already tackling Shido in a hug while saying hi to Madoka. They had brought Mozart and another picnic basket to go along with Natsumi's. Ban and Shido exchanged their usual un-pleasantries and slanted glances. Ban was anxious to announce his idea of a friendly sparing match but couldn't until Ginji was done hanging all over Shido. He glared at Shido again; sometimes he hated how affectionate Ginji was with everyone. Ginji had picked up on Ban thinking this before and only laughed at him before reminding him of some of the special "affections" that he reserved for only Ban.

Ban sighed and swallowed his pride for now, deciding to instead greet and try to spark up a pleasant conversation with Madoka. Ban liked Madoka for her grace and ability to play her violin so beautifully. Listing to music or playing seemed the one time Ban let himself get lost in daydreaming. He was hoping that she would play today. Kazuki and Juubei arrived a few minutes later and Ginji was on to his next greeting. Hugs all around, again.

"Hey, where's Emishi?" Ginji questioned curiously.

"Oh, he's helping Makubex and Sakura on a project today," Kazuki stated. He noticed Ginji's small look of concern and disappointment and decided to elaborate. "Nothing to worry about he just stayed as an extra hand so that Juubei could come with me."

Paul looked around from his spot at the corner of the picnic blanket, mentally checking off the people that were there. No Himiko, though he had expected that. Still, there was another person he had made sure to personally invite that didn't seem to be showing up either. He sighed inwardly.

"Ok," Ban spoke once everyone seemed to be settled. "It's a nice day and so I think this would be a perfect chance for a little one on one sparring."

Paul groaned. Leave it to Ban to turn a peaceful outing into something like this.

"No way, you guys will ruin the parks turf and god knows what else. You'll probably rip your clothes up and you have no money for new ones, do you? You'll also end up trampling all the food."

"Can't you guys just arm wrestle?" Hevn suggested.

Ban smirked while every one else gave him a dirty look.  
Hevn hurried to apologize for her poor idea before Ban got a chance to boast about his 200kg grip.

Natsumi just laughed. "No, no. Here, I had planned for something like this." She pulled out several long red strips of material. "If each of you wears one of these, you can spar like your playing flag football." Ginji tilted his head a bit confused as usual. "The sparing partner who grabs the flag first will win the match. No hard contact, no using special abilities, just grabbing the flag."

"Pffft," Ban scoffed. "You just took all the fun out of it."

"What's the matter, Snake-for-brains? Don't think you could take me on without your Snake Bite or your precious Jagan?" Shido said snidely. Ban fumed.

"Sounds like fun," Ginji chirped excitedly.

"I agree.'' Kazuki added.

"Fine!" Ban had reached his limit. "We'll play with these flag thingies, but screw matches the GetBackers will take you all on." Ban smirked confidently as he handed Ginji a flag that matched his own.

Ginji smiled while looping a flag around his belt. He loved it when Ban showed off his pride in their partnership. Natsumi handed out the rest and moved the group a safe distance away form the food and blanket but still close enough for her, Paul, and Hevn to watch.

"Okay!" Natsumi shouted, "I'll cheer you all on."

Paul sighed again and chose to at least pretend to be reading his usual newspaper. The GetBackers stood back to back, Juubei stood angled behind Kazuki and Shido took a low fighting stance.

"Ready? Set…"

Paul looked up from his newspaper to see the last person he had invited silently walk up to him. The rest of the group was too intensely focused on the game to notice. Teshimine smiled at Paul and he smiled back.

"….GO!" Natsumi yelled.

Paul was happy that he had come; he knew how important Teshimine was to Ginji, even if they hadn't seen each other in a long time. Paul had made sure not to tell Ginji he had invited Teshimine, so that Ginji wouldn't feel let down if he had not shown up.

"What are they doing?" Teshimine asked Paul.

"Being idiots." Paul replied simply.

"I see," Teshimine seemed to agree. He looked on at the circling mass of boys that seemed to be kicking up quite a lot of dirt. "We could show them a thing or two, ya know."

"Yes, Ban did boast that he would take us "all" on. We should do it discreetly though." Paul smiled, mischief in his voice.

"Of course," Teshimine once smiled back mischievously.

There was a sudden gust of wind just then and Shido, Juubei and Kazuki's flags vanished. The trio gave a look of utter shock.

"What the f…" Ban didn't get to finish his sentence because both of his arms were wrenched behind his back.

Ginji turned to help Ban but his feet were quickly swept out from underneath him and a dark figure was pressing him down to the ground. Ban arched his neck back to only to be more stunned to find Paul holding his arms behind his back. Paul then let go waving Ban's red flag in front of his nose.

"WHAT!!!"

Ginji looked up again at the dark figure only to realize who it was. "T-Teshimine-san…" he stuttered with a tear in his eye.

"Hey Ginji," Teshimine smiled. "Now I seem to remember a little boy who was very ticklish right behind his knees."

"No! OH NO, NO…" Ginji tried to cry through his laughs as Teshimine proceeded to tickle him.

Ban was caught somewhere between being thoroughly confused, which was rare for him, and pissed. "How did you…. And you, you don't even have flags!"

The rest of the group laughed from the sidelines.

"Ban-chan…" Ginji pleaded through tears from laughing so hard. "Ban-chan help…"

Ban couldn't help but let a half smile curl off his lips. "Teshimine…. so he's ticklish where?"

"Traitor!" Ginji laughed and then turning to Teshimine he pleaded, "No, no, please don't tell him... ha ha… I'll … never….ha…" Ginji started to spark a little and Teshimine stood up turning to Ban.

"Behind his knees but you only have so long before he builds up a static shock and then it's best to let go." Teshimine extended his hand to help Ginji up. Despite his recent "attack", Ginji was beaming form ear to ear.

Paul was glad to see every one so happy now, he was fortunate Teshimine had come after all. Ban tuned to Paul again looking for answers but luckily Hevn stuffed a piece of melon in his face.

"There ya go Ban, that's the prize for second place." She gloated. "Now lets all sit down to eat."


	2. Chapter 2

The Picnic – Part 2

The day had gone better than Paul ever could have imagined. He was extremely happy that Teshimine had managed to come to the picnic. Teshimine's arrival must have been a good omen because many good events occurred afterwards. There was a great feast prepared by the culinary magician Natsumi. The feast also consisted of several wonderful pastries Madoka had acquired from a local bakery.

The group had spent the afternoon playing volleyball, laughing at stories about each other, and listening to a beautiful violin solo Madoka had serenaded them with. Ban and Shido had even been tolerating each other. Paul was hoping that this too was an omen for more peaceful times, but he knew better than that. The two were more likely only trying to be nice to each other for Ginji's sake.

Now the sun was sinking behind the horizon and everyone was sitting around, chatting idly. Ban was lounging against a large oak tree and was lazily reading one of his favorite novels. As if unnoticed by Ban, Ginji had fallen asleep beside him and had ended up using Ban's leg as a pillow. Content with their current position, Ban was subconsciously stroking Ginji's golden spikes gently with one had while holding his book in the other. Paul smiled at this but was quick to look away knowing, that if Ban realized that Paul had been watching him, he would stop.

Teshimine pulled himself off of the grass and slowly made his way over to the two GetBackers. At this time, Ban seemed to finally take notice of Ginji and he stared at Ginji's calm expression. Ban had grown accustomed to Ginji's silent need for closeness long ago. Now, it seemed less like he had grown used to it, but as though Ban depended upon it. He wouldn't say it aloud to anyone but he needed Ginji. Ban hated to wake him up and not only for his own selfish reasons.

Ginji could fall asleep easily but often awoke from nightmares. Places and figures in the limitless fortress still seemed to haunt him and sometimes short visions of the past, that he could not remember, came back to him in quick painful glances. Ban had once tried to have Ginji tell him about what he saw in these quick flashes but Ginji could never make sense of what he had seen after he had awoken.

There had been only time where Ginji could make out a coherent phrase, that he had heard in one of the nightmarish flashes that he had seen. Ginji had repeated what he heard in his dream perfectly, "Sterbefall". Ginji had had no clue what it had meant but Ban had recognized it immediately. It was the German word for death. This had troubled Ban more than he wanted to admit, even to himself, and he had never to pursued Ginji's dreams again. Instead he focused on trying to ease them; reminding Ginji that he was there and he wouldn't leave him.

Ban's pride was currently at stake and he had decided to wake Ginji, least he end up looking like an idiot the way he was being used like a big teddy bear in front of Teshimine.

"Hey," Ban said as he nudged Ginji. "Hey Baka!" Ban shoved harder. Ban was just about to hit Ginji in frustration when Teshimine stopped him.

"It's ok." Teshimine said softly. "I never saw him sleep very well, or for very long in the limitless fortress. It's nice to see him so at ease."

Ban sighed inwardly. Ginji, the damn eel, was more like a leech and somehow, was managing to embarrass Ban even when he was asleep.

"Besides, I thought I could talk to you for a bit before I go."

Ban eyes narrowed though he tried to remain somewhat pleasant, if he could pull off such a thing. "What for?"

Ban had an issue with being pleasant to a man who had abandoned a boy, especially a boy who had been abandoned once before in his life. He couldn't fathom why or how Ginji could be so happy to see him but that discussion was for another day. So for once Ban withdrew from commenting further and bit his tongue.

Teshimine knew very well what Ban was thinking and actually agreed with Ban. He had long regretted his poor decisions that had affected Ginji so greatly. With this in mind he was quick to the point. "I was wondering how Ginji was doing lately? Is he happy?"

"Really!?" Ban scoffed. "Did you not look at the crazy idiot? He was laughing and grinning like a mad man all day. He's out of that hell hole and he takes pride in his job as a GetBacker, as he should."

Teshimine nodded, it was not how he had intended the question but he figured Ban would not answer the question as directly as he would have liked. Still he knew the answer to his question with out asking. When Ginji was with Ban he was often smiling, really smiling. In the limitless fortress the only smile he gave was to try to make others feel better and to not worry about him. That smile was empty and never reached his eyes, not like it had when he was an innocent child. Even then it was not the same; something was missing. Whatever that something was, Teshimine had figured that Ginji had now found it with Ban.

"Well," Teshimine said getting up from the spot where he had sat down. "Take care of him."

Ban raised his eyebrows, he realized what Teshimine had been trying to say, that he was happy for them. Ginji had Ban and Teshimine approved of their relationship.

Ban stammered for a bit, "w-w-wait… Aren't you going to say goodbye to him?"

"No," Teshimine answered. "I never have, and I'll see him again." With that he turned to walk towards Paul. 

Paul once again smiled at his old friend. At a safe distance away from Ban and the sleeping Ginji, he laughed. "Well, have you managed to stun the GREAT Ban Midou twice today?"

"Hmmm, "was again all Teshimine said. "Thank you for inviting me, Paul. I am glad I came."

Paul watched as Teshimine once again wandered away into the swiftly falling darkness. Paul was left with the small sense of worry and wonder Teshimine always seemed to bring him. He was not sure what the future held. He knew what it really meant to be a GetBacker and that those boys had no easy path ahead of them. At least for today, he would allow himself to be happy and hopeful. Today everyone could enjoy simple happiness.


End file.
